Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, turns 51, February 19

He is a social crusader and a true democrat whose commitment towards deepening democracy in Nigeria is total. Anyim Pius Anyim, former senate president and current secretary to the federal government, SFG, who clocks 51 on February 19, 2012, is indeed, one of the pillars of the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Since his appointment as the SFG in May 2011, by President Jonathan, Anyim has left no one in doubt about his passion for value-centred leadership in the service of his fatherland. 

His journey in the service of his fatherland started with his posting to Sokoto State for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. Anyim was deployed to the defunct Directorate for Mass Mobilisation for Self Reliance, Social Justice  and Economic Recovery, MAMSER, now National Orientation Agency, NOA, Sokoto State. As a youth corps member on primary assignment, Anyim discharged his responsibilities with such a remarkable sense of mission, leadership and thoroughness that he won the best Youth Corper of the year award in the state and was employed at the directorate headquarters of MAMSER in Abuja, as legal adviser.

Anyim held other offices in the public service which include head, protection department, National Commission for Refugees and registrar, Refugee Appeal Board. During this period, he attended several trainings and workshops locally and internationally which increased his knowledge in public administration.

 However, in 1997, Anyim voluntarily disengaged from the civil service, in response to the call by Ebonyi people for quality representation in governance at the federal level. Before then, he had contested and won election as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the short-lived Third Republic, under the platform of the United National Congress Party, UNCP. He repeated the feat in 1999 under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and was duly sworn in as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in May 1999.

Between August 2000 and June 2, 2003, Anyim served as senate president. As senate president, he distinguished himself as a social crusader and a believer in the rule of law. His leadership of the upper chamber helped to strengthen the foundation of democracy in Nigeria, deepen democratic culture in the country. Anyim’s successes in restoring order to the Senate at that critical period could be attributed to his training as a lawyer, his vocation as a social mobiliser, his career as an administrator, his disposition to humility and his dream of a strong united Nigeria.

It was based on this selfless and principled service to his fatherland and humanity that national and international honours started pouring in for him in droves.  Prominent amongst these are Grand Commander of the Order of Niger, GCON, the second highest national honour in the land;  Distinguished Alumnus by Abia State University; National Productivity Order of Merit Award and Distinguished Service Award by Nigerian Foundation Inc., Houston Texas, United States of America.

Born in Ishiagu in Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State, Anyim was educated at Abia State University and the University of Jos where he obtained the Bachelor of  Law, LLB and Masters of Law, LLM, respectively. He is widely travelled and has delivered numerous papers and lectures at seminars, workshops and conferences both nationally and internationally during which he shared his vision on wide-ranging topics of national and global significance.

The SFG is a devout Christian who believes in the power of God to touch, affect and change lives. He believes in God’s divine will as an eternal and constant instrument of change. Anyim is married to Chioma, also a lawyer. The marriage is blessed with children.